Girls: Lisa Kuchinski Approved at Manasquan

Updated June 27, 4:45 p.m.: Just off the phone with Joe Montano who had nothing but good things to say about Lisa Kuchinski as she embarks on her first head coaching job.

Montano on the roll he played during the decision-making process: “I just tried to get her to think everything through. This is obviously a unique situation with her being at such a young age with the ability to coach in her district. What i tried to do is be a sounding board and give her enough feedback to make a decision.”

On what she brings to the table: “Lisa is a wonderful person, a quality person to start with. I think Lisa has a lot of the qualities to be a good head coach. She’s organized, she’s disciplined, she won’t make the same mistake twice.”

On the pressures of having her first season be on the heels of Manasquan’s TOC win: “I don’t think it matters whether it’s her first year or 20th, there’s going to be pressure reagrdless in that situation. I remember when we won the TOC for the second time (in 2000), I was coaching 10 years at that point and that next season was probably the most difficult I’ve had. You almost feel like not winning it again means you didn’t achieve anything. The spot that she is in would be a tough spot for anybody, but she’s competent and mature enough to handle it. It isn’t an ordinary first head coaching position and there will obviously be some pressure on her.”

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For all intents and purposes, the Manasquan head coaching position belonged to Lisa Kuchinski on June 13. However, without the formality of Board of Education approval, she was not free to begin putting her mark on a program that is coming off an NJSIAA Tournament of Champions crown. After a bit of a delay last week, Kuchinski is now free to get to work.

On Tuesday evening, Kuchinski received her approval at the Board of Education meeting and is now officially the head coach of the Warriors. This is the first head coaching position for the 26-year old after she was an assistant for four years under Joe Montano at her alma mater, Red Bank Catholic. She replaces Ken Fischer, who first replaced Felix Romero, but gave the job back nine days later after a change of heart.

“It was a very tough decision leaving RBC. I loved playing there, I loved coaching there and I have a great relationship with the staff,” Kuchinski said on Tuesday evening. “I think that being a teacher in the district, this is a great opportunity. Four years ago when I started, I knew I wanted to be a head coach and I’ve been able to learn a lot from Joe. He understood this is what I wanted to do and he understood that this was a great opportunity for me.”

Kuchinski, a 2004 RBC graduate, may be a rookie head coach, but her strong pedigree carries weight, having coached and played under one of the state’s more respected coaches in Montano. When two top-tier Shore Conference head coaching jobs opened up this offseason in St. Rose and Manasquan, Kuchinski was linked to both early on.

She knew she wanted to be a head coach, but also understood that she was still young and had a certain level of comfort at Red Bank Catholic, a place she had spent her high school years as well as her early adult life. In other words, yes, she wanted to be a head coach, but she wasn’t leaving RBC unless she found something that she deemed a good situation.

“The season ended and I sat down and thought about it. I had a great meeting with Joe and I decided I was going to look into some opportunities,” Kuchinski said. “I wasn’t going to just go anywhere because I was very happy at RBC, and I felt like it would work if the right opportunity came about. Being able to coach in my district definitely helps. As tough as it was to leave, I’m definitely excited for the challenge.”

As it stands right now with rumors of transfers continuing to swirl, Manasquan is slated to return four starters in junior point guard Katelynn Flaherty, sophomore guard Marina Mabrey, senior forward Amanda Hagaman and junior forward Samantha Sullivan from last season’s TOC-winning 32-2 outfit.

“After winning a TOC title, I think it’s a great way for me to come and continue to build the program. I think there is a great future there and I am excited to coach the players in the program,” Kuchinski said. “I may be young, but I think that helps in trying to a group this age. I understand them as players, students and the pressures of being a teenager and a female. I don’t view my youth as a weakness. My energy and my passion will be fresh.”

While nothing is official yet, Kuchinski indicated she will likely enter her team into the Maroon & White Summer Team Camp, which is set for the end of next month and has received Division I certification.

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About Josh Newman

Josh Newman has worked for the Press since September 2004, covering a variety of high school beats in addition to college sports and the New York Jets. A 2004 graduate of Springfield College, he is currently the beat reporter for Monmouth University.

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Josh NewmanJosh Newman has worked for the Press since September 2004, covering a variety of high school beats in addition to college sports and the New York Jets. A 2004 graduate of Springfield College, he is currently the beat reporter for Monmouth University.E-mail Josh

Sherlon ChristieSherlon Christie is a sports reporter at the Asbury Park Press. He joined the APP in the fall of 2004. He grew up in Massachusetts, has a BA in Journalism from Northeastern University's School of Journalism. He is also the secretary of the National Association of Black Journalists.E-mail Sherlon